Tympanometry

Tympanometry at Hidden Hearing

Tympanometry is an important part of our comprehensive hearing assessment. It plays a crucial role in understanding how well your middle ear is functioning — and whether it might be affecting your ability to hear clearly.

What Is Tympanometry?

Tympanometry is a simple and painless diagnostic test that checks how well your eardrum moves in response to changes in air pressure. It helps us assess the health of your middle ear, including the condition of the eardrum and the tiny bones behind it.

During the test:

• A small, soft rubber tip is gently placed in your ear

• A small amount of air is pumped into the ear canal

• We measure how your eardrum responds to the pressure changes

This gives us important information about whether there’s fluid, a blockage, or damage in your middle ear — which can contribute to hearing problems.

Why Is Tympanometry Important?

According to the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, hearing loss isn’t always caused by issues with the inner ear or nerve pathways. Sometimes the problem lies in the middle ear — where sound is transferred from the outer ear to the inner ear.

Hearing loss caused by damage or a blockage in the outer and/or middle ear can be either congenital (present at birth) or acquired. In these cases, the key symptom is a reduction in loudness, even if sounds are technically reaching the ear.

Tympanometry can help us:

• Detect fluid buildup behind the eardrum (commonly caused by infections)

• Identify eustachian tube dysfunction (which helps regulate ear pressure)

• Check for perforated or scarred eardrums

• Detect middle ear pressure problems

• Determine if medical treatment may be needed before considering hearing aids

What Do Tympanometry Results Tell Us?

The test results are displayed in a graph called a tympanogram, which shows how your eardrum moved during the test. Based on the shape of this graph, your audiologist can determine if your middle ear is functioning normally or if there may be a concern.

If we detect something unusual, we may refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist for further investigation or treatment — especially if there’s a medical cause behind your hearing loss.

Who Should Have Tympanometry?

Tympanometry is often recommended for:

• Adults and children with recurring ear infections

• Anyone experiencing hearing loss, fullness, or pressure in the ears

• People who feel like their ears are blocked or aren’t hearing clearly

• Patients who are about to begin hearing aid use — to ensure the middle ear is healthy

It’s safe for all ages and takes only a few minutes to complete.

Book a Middle Ear Health Check Today

At Hidden Hearing, we provide a comprehensive analysis of your hearing health — and tympanometry is just one of the many tools we use to do that. It helps us understand the cause of your hearing difficulties so we can tailor the most effective treatment solution.